By Michael Grey* A nuclear reactor, I can recall my father, who was a naval engineer, explaining, was just “an advanced form of kettle” and nothing to be too excited about. I can remember him shaking his head at the decisions to fit warships with gas turbine propulsion, about the same time as I was […]
By Michael Grey* “Is it legal?” This was a question asked by a friend when we learned of the news that President Trump’s agile forces had seized a large tanker off Venezuela and several of us, including a distinguished maritime lawyer, were rather stumped for an answer. But a week later when this is being
By Michael Grey* There is not a great deal to cheer about as we stumble, haltingly, into the uncertainty of 2026. True, the major carriers are cautiously resurrecting their Suez transits, although there are precious few guarantees that what faction currently runs Houthi High Command will not decide to indulge in some target practice, to
By Michael Grey* At a certain time in one’s life, you begin to appreciate a good obituary. Not necessarily of a life well lived, as there can be much interest in learning about the life of a thorough blackguard, or someone whose stars have never been altogether in the ascendant. The late author John Winton
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By Michael Grey* As tens of thousands of weary delegates stagger off their righteously offset intercontinental flights, leaving the inhabitants of Belem to clear up the mess from a fortnight of COP30 (November 10-25) in the Brazilian jungle, there are just a few signs of hope. Not in any progress that might have emerged from
By John Gruetzner* Canada needs to act quickly to protect the viability of its commodity export industries. For the cost of one submarine, the Carney government can deliver a public/private sector partnership under what I would like to name Project Bluenose to address two maritime voids in Canada’s economic security. The first is the relatively
Par Yoan Marier* Une menace sans réponses claires Les chiffres parlent d’eux-mêmes. Au cours de la dernière décennie, le Bureau de la sécurité des transports du Canada (BST) a reçu près de 400 signalements d’incendies à bord de navires; 10 % de ces incendies ont entraîné la perte totale du navire. Bien que les pertes de
By Michael Grey* When something goes badly wrong, it is human nature to attempt to deflect the blame and to cite extenuating circumstances to explain away everything from why you took up a life of crime, to the reasons for driving at 50mph in a 20mph zone. It has become quite scientific these days, with
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By Michael Grey* It must be summer, when there is the annual alarm in the UK about the potential catastrophe from the detonation of 1400 tonnes of high explosives sitting in the mouldering holds of the Liberty ship Richard Montgomery. They have rested there inoffensively since the ship dragged her anchor and grounded in the
By Michael Grey* As a story in May in the general press, it all seemed a bit of a laugh. The deep-sleeping Norwegian in his pretty cabin on the Trondheim Fjord, oblivious to a “huge” ship running ashore a few feet from his bedroom. He required an urgent call from his neighbour to alert him